At Chase's place, everyone sat around the coffee table.
"I see. Leaving aside Natsu, that brainless idiot for a moment..."
"Lucy, so this is why you showed up at someone else's house wrapped in nothing but a bath towel?"
Having heard the whole story, Chase appraised Lucy and said seriously, "Didn't expect you to have a strange quirk similar to Gray's. Joining Fairy Tail really was the right choice!"
"Aye!" Happy raised his hand in agreement.
Aye my ass!
Lucy tightened the front of her bath towel, her mouth twitching like crazy.
Sure, Chase wasn't wrong, but being called an exhibitionist like Gray by a pervert who asks girls their measurements upon first meeting and now hangs out shirtless alone with a super cute beautiful young girl...
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got!
Wait—super cute beautiful young girl?!
Only now did Lucy notice Dark Magician Girl sitting beside Chase. Her brows furrowed as she stared intently like some creep. There was something inexplicably familiar about her.
One thing was certain: this girl, around her own age, was definitely not a Fairy Tail mage.
So where had she seen her before?
Lucy racked her brains, thinking hard, until she caught the characteristic magical hat Dark Magician Girl wore. Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
"Um... you wouldn't happen to be Dark Magician Girl, who was super famous in Weekly Sorcerer Magazine about a year ago?!"
Lucy's memories gradually became clear.
It was a year ago. Because she especially admired Fairy Tail, she'd paid close attention to Mirajane, who was very popular in the magical weekly.
Over time, she also developed a strong impression of Dark Magician Girl, who was equally popular at the time and had released multiple photobooks.
She never imagined meeting her in a scene like this.
And it seemed Dark Magician Girl had a very close relationship with Mr. Chase!
"Weekly Sorcerer, huh? That brings back memories." Dark Magician Girl smiled nostalgically. Then she noticed the guild mark on Lucy's hand. "A face I haven't seen before—you're a guild newcomer, right?"
"Mm! So nice to meet you! I'm Lucy Heartfilia—I joined just two days ago!"
Lucy greeted her excitedly.
Dark Magician Girl shook hands with Lucy with a smile. After introducing herself, she puffed out her cheeks and muttered quietly, "What an adorable girl. Master's probably secretly pleased about this."
"M-Master?"
Lucy felt she'd heard something quite significant. Her gossiping gaze darted between Chase and Dark Magician Girl.
Besides her and Natsu, only Mr. Chase was here.
So the one being called "Master" with that hint of resentment was obvious.
Mr. Chase wasn't just a heavy chuunibyo—he was also a super pervert behind closed doors?
They have a thing—those two definitely have a thing!
Thinking this, Lucy's face instantly flushed bright red as various inappropriate images came to her mind.
"Hey Lucy, wanna do business with me? I'll give you twenty percent off~"
Happy slit appeared, having tasted sweetness before and not missing any chance to harvest Lucy's purse.
Lucy's fantasies immediately halted as she stared at Happy with full vigilance.
Again?
Twenty percent off—I want to break your bones!
Remembering the losing business from earlier, the girl's anger flared up.
"Business? What business?" Chase asked curiously.
If he remembered correctly, in the original story, Lucy and Happy hadn't had such an intersection at this point, right?
"Oh, this? Well—"
Happy started to speak, but his neck was suddenly locked tight by a snow-white arm.
"Nothing, nothing! Happy's drunk. Yep, that's right!"
Lucy smiled fakely as she firmly secured Happy against her chest, giving him no chance to speak.
If Mr. Chase found out she'd been secretly investigating his "scandals," it would leave a terrible impression!
"Tea can get you drunk?"
Dark Magician Girl glanced at the tea on the coffee table, then at Happy, who was gradually transformed in that deep crevice. She said seriously, "But knowing Happy the idiot, it's not impossible."
Happy: Mmmph mmmph! (Wronged! She's slandering me!)
"Whatever, doesn't matter! More importantly—"
Natsu suddenly stood up, flames blossoming from his right fist. "Hey! Dark Magician Girl! Long time no see—fight me!"
"You sure about that, Natsu? I've gotten stronger alongside my master now." Dark Magician Girl, having long integrated into Fairy Tail's style, showed no fear as she cracked her knuckles, her magical staff glowing.
And then...
THUD! THUD!
About to throw down, both took iron fists from Chase. In sync fashion, they squatted down holding their heads in pain.
"Use your brains and look at your surroundings, both of you! This is my home!" Chase scolded seriously.
Lucy, whose own home had just suffered disaster, slightly vigorously, barely restraining herself from giving him a thumbs-up.
"If you want to fight—go fight at Lucy's place!"
Lucy: ...
She silently withdrew that big thumbs-up.
Constrained by Chase's authority, Natsu and Dark Magician Girl eventually abandoned their mutual brawling plans and sat back down.
The chaotic scene finally restored calm.
After detailed introductions, Lucy learned from Chase that Dark Magician Girl wa
s a card monster contracted to him.
The relationship between them was similar to hers with Aquarius, Taurus, and the others.
At the same time, she finally fully understood the magic Chase used—Duelist Soul.
'Good thing I didn't fall for that damn cat Happy's trick!' Lucy silently congratulated herself.
Honestly, for a moment there, she'd been a bit tempted to spend money on gossip.
"I've never heard of magic like this—Mr. Chase's Duelist Soul." Lucy sighed after finishing her inner monologue.
"Though it adds Trap Cards and Magic Cards, it's similar to your Celestial Spirit Magic. The card monsters are also partners I deeply cherish." Chase said seriously.
It was precisely because of the card monsters' unwavering company that he'd been able to make it this far.
Both physically and mentally.
"That's right!"
Lucy empathized, nodding firmly, a brilliant smile blooming on her lips.
Just then, a strange sound came from behind her: "Pffft~ pffft~ hnnnng~"
"Lucy, did you fart?"
Chase, without any particular concern, bluntly asked right in front of her.
"No, I did not!!"
Lucy was utterly speechless as she shrilly denied it.
She turned around and lifted up a cute creature—all white, with a pointy nose, round head, and small body trembling continuously.
"This child made that sound. His name is Plue—he's the Canis Minor Celestial Spirit I just contracted with."
Plue tremblingly raised his right hand: "Pffft~ pffft~"
His adorably silly demeanor and movements immediately attracted Dark Magician Girl's attention: "What an adorable little snowman!"
She had absolutely no resistance against cute things.
"...Um, not a snowman. Canis Minor. Canis Minor."
Lucy patiently explained while carefully handing Plue to Dark Magician Girl, whose eyes were shining.
Dark Magician Girl took Plue, hugging and rubbing him against herself.
Plue's face was the picture of utter resignation.
"Plue, huh? Feels like he'd get along well with this guy."
Chase nodded thoughtfully, drew a card from the air with two fingers, and summoned the monster within.
"Kuri kuri~"
Kuriboh floats in the air, blinking its cute big eyes.